Chapter Nine: Breakout

Alix took a deep breath. "Okay. The beginning. I can do that. It all started when…hold on, how far back do you want me to go? Because I'm sure you already know quite a bit about–"

"Just how and when the two of you met is fine," said Director Bunnyx.

"If I may interject," said Gabriel, "I don't believe I was ever read my rights when I was taken in. For that matter, exactly what sort of crime I've committed, aside from my association with Ms. Kubdel here, has not yet been elaborated on."

There was an uncomfortable silence as both Alixes tried to ignore him. "So, anyway," said 'his' Alix, "It all started when I realized that an entire dimension had fallen to the Ripplers. I went there to investigate…and all I found there was him." She pointed to Gabriel. "That's part of the reason why I brought him along. Finding out how he survived when everyone else didn't, and why, was one of the main reasons I brought him along."

Gabriel had suspected her reasons were far from altruistic, but at this point, he didn't really care as much as he had thought he would. "Could it have something to do with the power of the Miraculous?" he pondered. "It is likely no coincidence the decay began once I made my wish."

Director Bunnyx's attempts at ignoring him faltered. "That is a possibility we've considered," she said. "Unfortunately, verifying that hypothesis is far too dangerous at this time. Realities affected by this decay grow more unstable the further it travels in time, meaning anyone entering them is at risk. By chance, were there any Ripplers present after you awoke to find your universe altered?"

"There was nothing, at first," Gabriel replied. "I spent what felt like hours wandering through the remains of Paris, until one appeared to attack me. Ms. Kubdel arrived not long after to dispatch it, something I've just learned was incidental." He shot her a glance, and she averted her eyes.

"In any case, I suppose we should return to the matter at hand." Director Bunnyx looked to her younger alternate self with an understanding, yet mildly disappointed expression. "Alix…I do admire your initiative, but your cavalier attitude regarding this matter will only cause more problems that it will solve." The younger woman huffed and turned away, reminding Gabriel of a teenager being reprimanded by her mother. "I do wish you could work with us instead of against us."

"I am working with you, just not for you" Alix snapped. "I've spent all this time trying to find out where the Ripplers are coming from, so we can actually stop them. Meanwhile, all you're trying to do is lessen the damage that's already been caused! How's that working towards saving the multiverse?"

Director Bunnyx sighed. "I will admit, we have not made much progress towards eliminating the Rippler threat at its source. Surely you've had much better luck in that regard, yes?"

Her question seemed to catch Alix off-guard. "Well…I…I mean…more than you!" she snapped again. "For example, before your Hunters so rudely interrupted our progress, we learned that Gabriel can detect when Ripplers show up! True, he has to be in the same timeline already for it to work…but it's still something!"

Much to Gabriel's non-surprise, Director Bunnyx was unimpressed. For that matter, Gabriel himself was unimpressed, despite knowing full well the merits of this ability. Nevertheless, he decided to stand up for her. "Surely, this can be put to good use in preempting the Ripplers," he said. "Of course, it would require that we have our Miraculous returned to us…"

"Out of the question," Director Bunnyx said firmly. "I am already taking enough of a risk by allowing a Hawkmoth in here in the first place. But giving a Gabriel back the butterfly Miraculous? I hope you don't take me for that much of a fool. I have enough on my plate with the Ripplers, the last thing I need is for my Bunnyxes to be Akumatized."

Alix stepped forward. "Look, I get it, you don't trust Gabriels. None of us do. But he's our best hope at getting to the bottom of this! He's already helped me out a bunch by now, and I showed him how to use the butterfly Miraculous the right way! Trust me…out of anyone here, I know just how bad Hawkmoths can be. But this one, he's…actually not so bad." She glanced over at Gabriel, looking away when she realized he saw her. "Up to a point."

Director Bunnyx studied the two of them, her eyes glancing back and forth between each one. Eventually, she got up from her chair, turning around to gaze out the window at the Warren. "Do you know the worst part about being part of the ITAA, Alix?" she asked.

"What, having to listen to you?" Alix remarked dryly.

Against all odds, Director Bunnyx smirked. "Working to protect the multiverse is a full-time job. Many of us don't get the chance to go home very often, and when we do, we can never stay very long. So many wielders of the rabbit Miraculous out there don't get to live a normal life, even more so than any other. Both of your lives have been filled with hardship…but there has also been so much more than that. All the friends you've made, all the successes, all the triumphs…"

"All the people we've lost…" Alix replied bitterly. Gabriel briefly wondered what exactly that meant, but had no time to dwell on it.

"What exactly is the purpose of telling us this?" asked Gabriel, stepping forward. "Are you trying to make us appreciate what we had? Because the last time I checked, everything I had is gone! And if there is even the slightest chance of fixing it, I will do what I have to do in order to achieve that outcome!"

Director Bunnyx studied him as she approached. "'What you have to do.' Have you ever considered that might be your problem? You became so obsessed with bringing Emilie back, but you never considered the consequences. You pushed away everyone you cared about, all in pursuit of a goal that she never even wanted you to achieve. How do I know this will be any different? How can I be certain you won't sacrifice as many universes as you have to in order to resurrect your own?"

He was quiet for some time. In truth, that was a question Gabriel had asked himself when all this had first started. Could he really stop himself from falling back into his old ways? But when he looked back, he knew his answer. He looked over at Alix. "Her."

She pointed at herself. "Me?"

"Miss Kubdel is far more experienced in matters such as this than I ever could be," Gabriel continued. "Despite her obfuscation, she saved my life more than once, not to mention her drive to do what your organization cannot. It is because of her influence that I no longer think solely of my own. At the core of my being, everything I do is still for the sake of those I love…but how is that different from any other? You, Director, do you not have versions of your friends in your own timeline? A Marinette, an Adrien, an Alya? Your family as well? You would not be so devoted to protecting the multiverse if not to protect them, even indirectly. Am I correct in this assumption?"

The Director smiled once more. "Am I to believe Alix is responsible for turning the notorious Gabriel Agreste into a better person?" she asked.

Gabriel didn't falter. "That, I am in no place to say. If there was a way to return to my old life, to have Emilie back, to be with my family again, I would take it. But if it were to come at the price of more destruction… No. No, too many have suffered because of my actions already. It's time for Hawkmoth to give back what he took away."

"Come on. What have you got to lose?" asked Alix.

For a long, tense moment, Director Bunnyx weighed her options. Eventually, without speaking, she raised her hand…and a portal appeared beside her. It led into a room lined with storage lockers, extending far into the distance. "You're…actually letting us go?" Gabriel said, surprised.

"I'm taking a calculated risk," said the Director. "I may be able to protect the multiverse from further harm, but only a smaller team can fix what has already been broken. Go, and don't make me regret this."

Alix hurried through the portal. "I promise you won't!" she shouted excitedly, eager to resume her quest. Gabriel walked through as well, glancing back at Director Bunnyx before he did. She offered him a wink and a friendly smile. As he passed into the other room, the portal closed behind him, hopefully leaving no evidence they were there.

The locker room was even larger than it had seemed, with sealed containers spanning far into the distance, as well as skyward. As Gabriel strolled by the lockers, examining their contents, he began to wonder just how massive the multiverse was. These lockers contained a vast array of Miraculous, not just those of the rabbit, but more sorts than he even knew existed. In addition to the ones he was familiar with, there were Miraculous he had only heard of, some of which he hadn't, including what appeared to be ordinary mundane objects. "What sort of artifacts are kept here?" he asked.

"Oh, pretty much every kind you can think of," said Alix, who was also perusing the containers. "Most of these have been confiscated from someone trying to misuse them, so ours should be in here somewhere." She was quiet for a few more minutes as she continued her search, before breaking the silence. "Did you really mean that? About me making you a better person?"

"Why wouldn't I have?" he replied. "Just as you meant it when you said I was not so bad."

Alix chuckled. "Yeah, I just sort of assumed you'd be more inclined to lie your way out of a situation…no offense. Though I guess I can't really comment, seeing as I've been lying to you from the beginning…"

"None taken–and you do have a point. I have deceived and obfuscated others far too often to take offense when I become the target. Though, out of curiosity, why did you find it necessary to lie about being the Alix I was familiar with?"

"For that reason exactly: so I'd seem like someone you were familiar with," said Alix. "It's like back with that other Gabriel we went to first. People are much more comfortable around people they know–or who they think they know."

Gabriel couldn't argue with that. On more than one occasion, his judgment had almost been compromised because he couldn't differentiate other versions of Adrien from his own. And even with his Adrien, he had been too blind to see that he had been Cat Noir all along. But speaking of Cat Noir…

His train of thought was interrupted by a shout from Alix, who hurried over to one of the lockers. "Finally!" As Gabriel made his way over, he saw two Miraculous locked in the same box: a rabbit and a butterfly. "Hey, this might be a stupid question, but do you have any cufflinks on you? 'Cause I need to borrow one."

Wordlessly, Gabriel removed one of his cufflinks, handing it to Alix. She inserted the pointed end into the locker's side, and with a few movements, the door clicked open. "And when exactly did you learn to do that?" he asked.

"Working here had its perks." She tossed him his Miraculous, attaching hers to her belt. "So, where to first?"

Even ignoring the fact that Gabriel couldn't sense Ripplers outside of the current timeline, he had absolutely no idea where to start. Luckily for them both, he knew someone who did. "Adrien," he said.

"Are you still on this?" she replied. "We'll get your kid back, we just need to–"

"No, not my Adrien, the Adrien we met in the prison," Gabriel clarified. "Right now, he's the closest thing we have to a lead. We'll need to break him out."

If Alix had been conflicted before, she wasn't now. "I'll do you one better than that!" she said with a grin. Transforming into Bunnyx, she sent forth a portal, opening to reveal the young man Gabriel's son would one day grow up to resemble. "Hey there! Good news: you're out on good behavior!"

After the momentary surprise at a portal suddenly opening up in his cell, Adrien wasted no time in making his escape. "That was fast," he said. "How exactly did you manage to give them the slip?"

"You can thank our people skills for that," Alix said, nudging Gabriel's arm. "That, and a little bit of luck. But let's not waste valuable time telling stories: can you or can you not help us find the source of the Ripplers?"

"I can definitely get you closer than you are now," he said. He looked around, realizing where he was. "I'll probably be a bigger help to you if I had my Miraculous back. You found yours pretty quickly, any chance you could help me find mine?"

Alix threw an arm around him. "I'll do you one better than that!" A pause. "See, you weren't here, but I said that when I got you. Anyway…" She closed her eyes as her hand gripped his shoulder, feeling his energy. A smaller portal opened before her, which she reached through into the locker, feeling around for his Miraculous. Whatever she felt in there gave her pause, hesitating before pulling them out.

She held her findings in her hand, showing not just the ring of the cat, but the earrings of the ladybug as well. "Perfect!" said Adrien, donning both. "Tikki, Plagg, unify!" In a flash, he was transformed into a red and black outfit, a hybrid of both powers. "Now, let's go save the multiverse." He realized that the other two were staring at him. "...What?"

"The last time I saw both of those Miraculous together, it was the day I made the wish that destroyed my world," Gabriel said. "When I plunged you into nightmares, and Marinette took up arms against me. Please tell me your roles were not reversed."

"That's not…exactly what happened," said Adrien. "Look, I'll explain everything later. Right now, can we just get out of here?"

That was something all three could agree on. "Best idea I've heard all day," said Alix. She opened her palm, preparing to open a portal through space-time, only for someone–or something, Gabriel wasn't sure how that would work–to witness them.

All three of them froze as a prehistoric theropod walked around the corner, suddenly turning their way. The creature was around the same size as a human, and covered in a layer of feathers. It too froze upon seeing them, likely just as surprised as they were. However, it quickly overcame its shock, letting out a screech. It was only now that Gabriel noticed a pocketwatch latched to the creature's waist, with which it soon transformed into a raptor version of Bunnyx.

In his stupor, all Gabriel could do was point at their guest. "That…is a dinosaur," he said lamely.

The three were shaken from their trance as an alarm split the air, while the room was bathed in red light. "Yes it is, now run!" shouted Alix, sprinting in the other direction. Gabriel and Adrien followed suit, as more and more Bunnyxes arrived to give chase.

"Why exactly are we running," asked Gabriel, after transforming into Hawkmoth, "when you could simply send us into another timeline?"

In response, she pointed towards a series of glowing nodes that had descended from the ceiling. "Anti-warp field generators," she explained. "The whole place is on lockdown, so any and all time-related powers are disabled. Good news, that also includes them." She motioned back to their pursuers. "Bad news, that means there's only one other way out of this place. And it's a definite gamble."

There was no time to ask her what she meant, as there were now dozens of Bunnyxes on their tail. Some were Alix, some were male versions of Alix, while others were Marinettes, or Adriens, or other people Gabriel didn't recognize. A scant few weren't even human, as in addition to the raptor from earlier, he swore he saw an actual rabbit in there somewhere, in addition to an android. Some still weren't actually Bunnyxes, but presumably had similar powers. Thankfully, with the dampeners in effect, all the virtual menagerie of time travelers could do was run after them.

Their path eventually took them back into the main room, which, unsurprisingly, was filled to the brim with more Bunnyxes. "Quick, this way!" shouted Adrien, leaping off the second level and rushing to a corridor. Once the other two had followed him, he created a metal bar that he used to jam the door. The sea of Bunnyxes slammed against the blockage, but it held for the time being as they ran on.

"And how exactly do you know which way to go?" asked Alix, though she followed him regardless.

"My Bunnyx brought me here, remember? I'm just as familiar with this place as you are!" He led them further into the facility, traveling lower and lower down multiple flights of stairs. Opening a door, they came face to face with yet more Bunnyxes. "...Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration."

Gabriel drew his sword, stepping to the front of the group. "Enough running–now we fight our way through!" He ran forward, parrying one of the Bunnyx's attempts to strike him with her umbrella, before tossing her aside. More of them came at him, but he was easily able to fend them off.

One almost got the better of him, attacking from behind, but Alix knocked her back with her own umbrella. "See, that's what I mean. All these amateurs rely too much on their powers." She blocked another attack, pushing them aside before tripping up another.

Adrien joined the battle as well. The cat's staff and the ladybug's yo-yo had combined to form a set of nunchucks, with which he carved a path through the resistance. "Follow me!" He ducked and dodged his way to the next set of stairs, unbothered by the Bunnyx horde.

Impressed by his fighting ability, Alix chuckled as she followed after him. "Seems like your imprisonment hasn't dulled your skills!" Adrien's weapon caught an umbrella before it could strike her, with him twisting it out of its owner's hands and kicking them to the floor. "What should we call you now, anyway?"

"You know, I hadn't actually thought about a name," he admitted, keeping the Bunnyxes at bay. "I hadn't actually had both these Miraculous for all that long. How about…Blackbug?"

"We can discuss names later," Gabriel said, as they reached the end of the herd. He threw open a door and hurried into the next hallway…but a few moments later, found that more of their pursuers were waiting for them at the other end. With Bunnyxes ahead and Bunnyxes behind, they were trapped.

Both Alix and Gabriel prepared to fight their way out, but Adrien–Blackbug–had a different idea. "I think we've done enough running and hiding," he said. Gathering energy within him, he thrust out his arms in both directions, causing an eruption of amorphous creation energy to surge each way. Taking the form of immaterial red and black-spotted panels, they first flowed like water, before soon hardening like metal. This blockade kept away their attackers, but also kept them in place.

"An excellent plan–as for the next step?" asked Gabriel.

Blackbug placed his hand on the wall beside them, which crumbled into dust, opening a way into the adjacent room. Gabriel was about to step through, but Blackbug stopped him. "Not so fast. That's just a diversion. This is the real way out!" He then placed his hand on the floor, which also crumbled, sending the three of them down to the floor below.

Getting to his feet, Gabriel irritably dusted himself off. "A little warning would have been appreciated," he muttered.

"You're welcome," Adrien replied, unable to resist grinning. Glowing energy flowed from his body as he raised his hands, restoring the floor they had fallen through. "Give it a few moments…"

Up above, the army of Miraculous holders managed to break through Blackbug's barricade, coalescing right above the trio. "Through here!" another Alix could be heard shouting, before hundreds of footsteps carried them through the decoy hole, hopefully on a wild goose chase that would keep them busy for a while.

After a few moments, the thunderous stampede faded into the distance. "That was some quick thinking, kitty-cat," Alix said, clapping Adrien on the shoulder. "Ready to take us all the way down?"

"Bottom floor: Kwami storage," Adrien said, before turning to Gabriel. "You wanted a heads-up? Well, here you go: heads up!" He charged his Cataclysm once again, destroying the floor they were standing on. This repeated as they fell, traveling further down than Gabriel thought this place even had floors. At least he was prepared this time.

Eventually, they reached the bottom of the Warren. This floor looked no different from any other up above, although it was slightly less well-lit. "Now, what exactly is this grand escape plan of yours?" asked Gabriel. "And more importantly, in what way is it 'a gamble?'"

"You'll see in a sec," Alix said cryptically, leading the way down the corridor. Luckily, there didn't seem to be anyone down here, as it was silent–almost eerily so. The trio soon reached a set of double doors that had been meticulously sealed, as it seemed they would need a keycard and a hand-scan to enter, at least. "Would you do the honors?" she asked.

With a single touch, Adrien bypassed all of the security measures, crumbling the door to dust. As soon as it had fallen, a cool glow like moonlight flowed from the room they had now accessed. "After you," he said, letting the others step in first.

Upon entering the large circular room, Gabriel beheld what was sealed within: at first, he thought it was an enormous white serpent, floating in the air in a crescent shape. As he got a better look at it, he saw that it had multiple pairs of appendages, making him think it more of a Chinese dragon. But, as the glow subsided, he saw that the being had a pair of long ears on its head, and a small, cotton-ball tail at its tip. He knew immediately who this was.

The Kwami turned to gaze at them with its three eyes. "I am Fluff," he said, his voice reverberating through their very bones. "I am the passage of time itself, the flow of the current towards eternity. I bid you welcome to my domain."

"Should we…bow, or something?" Adrien whispered.

"Nah. He may be all impressive like this, but he's still the same Fluff," Alix answered, stepping forward. "Hey there! So, you're probably wondering why we came all the way down here to see you…"

The lepine deity floated down to get a better look at them. "I do not wonder, for in the vastness of the multiverse, there are a great many constants." He coiled himself into a circle to demonstrate, touching his nose to his tail. "A man who will ceaselessly pursue his goals, no matter how destructive. A girl who refuses to be bound by the laws of others. A boy desperate to fulfill his purpose. I know exactly the reason you have come here. You have come to seek my aid."

"Yes, we sure have," said Adrien. "The Warren is on lockdown, so we can't leave. But you can send us anywhere, right?"

"I am time, and time is me," replied Fluff. "The Warren exists only because of my power. I am its creator…though its current curator is the one who commands its forces. The same forces who are currently searching for you, I believe."

Alix visibly tensed up. "Uh, yeah, about that…the Director gave us permission to investigate the Ripplers without her oversight, but not to bring this guy along with us." She nudged her head towards Adrien. "Can you do us a favor and not send us back up there? That would kinda get in the way of our mission."

Fluff flew down to the ground, studying Alix up close. "I may no longer be bound by a holder, but my obligations are to the one who once held me. Why should I not alert her to the fact that three miscreants have fled her custody and made a mockery of her organization?"

Before he knew what was happening, Gabriel was speaking. "You are time itself, yes? Then I assume you want this Rippler threat to be dealt with just as much as we do." Fluff turned to stare at him, but he was undeterred. "Something is out there, destroying timelines, which means it's destroying you. And considering you're just sitting here instead of out fixing it, I can only assume whatever is causing it is beyond even your power. Am I close?"

For a few tense seconds, the Kwami continued to stare at Gabriel. "That…is correct," Fluff said eventually. "The anomaly causing the Ripplers transcends both space and time, yet also being subservient to them. It is both above and beneath me, leaving me powerless to stop it." He coiled himself into a figure-eight lying on its side, constantly flowing. Now that Gabriel had a better look at his underside, he could see several discolored patches of dark purple fur–the same consistency as Ripplers.

"You're dying," Adrien said softly.

"We Kwamis are only alive so far as what we represent is alive," Fluff said. "But as more and more of time continues to fade, so too will I continue to fade. And as existence begins to collapse, I fear the same will be said of my brethren as well. You are correct, Gabriel Agreste: this is a crisis only humans can solve."

"Well, we're humans," said Alix. "Just send us to wherever the Ripplers are strongest, and we'll take care of 'em."

Fluff's eyes flashed. "No. Doing such would be foolhardy, if not suicide outright. You are strong Miraculous holders, that much is clear, but you must proceed with caution. Though its exact nature eludes me, I can sense a dark presence behind the Ripplers' movements. Something, some manner of dark instinct, appears to be directing their ferocity. You must cut them off at their source, otherwise all will be lost."

"Don't worry–I know just where we need to go," Adrien said. "If you could, send us to my home reality, or at least what's left of it. We should be able to find a lead there."

"So it shall be." Fluff then twisted his body into a giant arch, stretching almost to the ceiling of the chamber. Blue energy swirled within the shape, until he had become the frame of a massive portal. "Tread carefully, you three heroes. And be warned: the further you go down this path, the more attention you will draw to yourself. As you hunt this anomaly, I fear it will in turn hunt you."

The three of them stepped towards the portal. "We'll be careful," said Alix. "And thank you, Fluff. You won't regret this." She stepped through, followed closely by Adrien. Taking one last look at the Kwami, Gabriel went through as well.

Their new surroundings were quite familiar to him, as they found themselves in a place he never wanted to be in again. It was a world with no color, a blank white expanse filled with the pitch-black forms of what were once buildings, but now appeared as abstract melting shapes. They were back in Paris–or at least what once was.

"There's something about all this that doesn't add up," Alix said, taking their surroundings in stride. "Back in Gabe's home, he was the only one who survived after the whole place…y'know. So why did you survive in this timeline instead?"

Adrien looked around at the devastated remains of his home, the expression on his face one Gabriel knew all too well–guilt. "Because in this timeline, I'm the one who made the wish," he said. "All of this…it's because of me. I destroyed my entire universe."